Frame-off Resto Order?

[ChrisK10]

For you guys/gals that have done, or are in the process of doing a frame-off restoration... what's your order of operations like?

This is what mine is kinda like (subject to changes). Starting with the frame, it'll be cleaned up and painted... suspension and brakes done in the same general time period. The engine will be on its' way to the machine shop. After the frame is done, body work will be done, then paint. When the engine is back, it will be rebuilt by me. Engine/transmission/transfer case will be painted. The drivetrain will be installed before the body goes back on. The body will get installed, and then wiring will begin, as well as hooking up everything to the engine (new exhaust), etc. The interior will probably be next. Gotta find a new (used) seat, and dress up everything. The wood floor will probably be addressed near the end of the project. Then come the finishing touches.

What's yours like? Or does anyone have any suggestions that might save me time or money?

[Springbear]

I am making sure ALL the parts fit before I take body off frame. That way when I put it back together I know it will fit. This includes a trip down to the frame rack to make sure everything is "straight". after that I ...? Am open to some help! Martin

[imdarren]

Chris,
I'm doing mine as you said above.
If I were to do it again however (and I most likely will) I would do any work under the cab (ie: cab supports replaced if needed, rockers, any metal / rust patching / welding) before I took the cab off the first time, or redid the frame. Now that I have a fresh powder coated frame, I'm wondering how all the welding / tweaking could possibly damage / scratch the frame.
I also plan on doing some sheetmetal / fender fitting while it is in primer to make sure all fits well before paint.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I'm new to this too!

Darren

[68LSS1]

I agree with the above posts. It's always easier from the ground up (as long as work in progress does not cause earlier work to be reworked-or something like that). The only problem is if you are changing a lot of stuff then it ends up almost being rebuilding the truck and then disassemble to repaint and final reassemble. By changing a lot of stuff I mean front suspension, rear suspension and rear end, modern FI engine, etc. I tried planning so I could paint and assemble once but I'm making too many changes to be able to account for everything.

[Tx Firefighter]

You must do body basic repair and fitment before taking the truck apart.

The body panels must be fit to each other, sometimes by grinding, bending, or hammering. You simply must do this before paint and bodywork.

Once you have the truck straight, then you can go on with other things and finish guide coating and final blocking all of the stuff apart.

I've only done 3 full frame offs, but I learned some lessons from the high dollar magazine type of builders. They build the whole car first, then blow it apart for detailing. Little things like running brake lines and drilling holes for clips and such need to be done before paint and detail. You don't want to order your new brake system or wire harness or air conditioning system and find out it requires a hole be drilled in your pretty painted parts. After you've built the truck and made sure everything jives with each other, it's pretty easy dismantle it again to do the cosmetic work.

[Harold Shepard]

I did my frame work first,paint, brakes, bearings, rear end, then motor and trans. Cranked the motor and ran it in so I could adjust and fix any thing that needed to be addressed before the body went on. Don't know about your area, but my paint and body took forever, so as I had time I started making sub assemblies (assembly manual is very helpful) heater/Ac steering column rebuilt vent windows rebuilt etc.. Following this ran the front to rear brake light wiring and clips and test fit the bumpers. Sat the cab on before final paint and aligned fenders and doors. Paint Reassemble cab starting at the top of the dash and working down, seems to be easier this way. Pull your interior wiring. Wiper motor frst then radio speaker dash pad . Heater/Ac makes two sub assemblies carpet gas tank seats door panels column. With doors assemble window chanels/runs regulators and latch assembly then vent windows, but be careful they will scratch new paint to crap and back if you don't turn them just right door handles and latch controls. Engine wiring and heater box core support innner fenders outer fenders grill front bumper. Bed- tail light harness, bulb holders lenses and be sure you have good grounds for marker lights 70-72. Bumper brackets, gravel shields, bumper. That should give you an idea of the sequence, just remember several dozen different people put the truck together originally on an assembly line, if you do it in order it will fall together fairly easily, just not as fast, also remember the part you spend the least amount of time on will be the first one everyone will see, it is all about the details.

[botboy]

This is how I've been doing (almost done with now) my dunebuggy, for pix and story check here:
www.usfamily.net/web/botboy60

Keep in mind the car was a total basketcase when I started, but I started by removing all remaining electrical (fried anyway) and lights, then interior (or what was left of it) then engine, then the hood/gas tank/body/windshield, then mechanical parts (suspension, tranny, linkages, brakes), now I'm down to the bare pan (which needs weld in replacements, of course), so I torch/grind out the floor pans, take it to a body shop to get sandblasted, cutnshut new floor pans (shortened wheelbase buggy), weld in new floor pans, bolt up front suspension, bolt up transmission, run linkages/cables/lines for brakes/clutch/ebrake, bolt up rear suspension, bolt up brakes, throw on rims/tires, bolt body down, start running electrical (this is where I'm at now). From this point I intend to finish running the electrical within the car (excluding engine/lights etc for now), then install seats while continuing to do the electric work, finally bolt up engine and take for a test drive.

Things I would change:
I should have started collecting engine parts the day I pulled the engine (now working with getting it all together)
Should have had engine machine work done a while ago (machine shops aroudn here booked for weeks on end it seems)
Shouldn't have pulled everything apart at one time, I really should have fixed the engine and brakes and electrical first so it would be driveable (but would still look crappy) then worried about making it look nice - but at the same time I started with a basketcase and want a show-worthy car when I'm done so I have to pick and choose my battles.